IKONOSKOP – 16mm digital cinema camera

This is just a sign of where things are headed – it’s going to be FUN to be a digital cinematographer in the upcoming years! Cameras are getting smaller and lighter (not always a good thing… but often it is!) and more affordable. Sensors are getting better (note that this camera has a CCD sensor not CMOS) and I love the idea/ergonomics of this camera! I’d love to get a chance to play with it one day! A friend of mine has one – so we’ll see…

One of the great things about this camera besides its quality is that you can use your Canon mount lenses. On top of that there are many many great 16mm film lenses being sold on ebay as 16mm film is meeting its doom. Here, for example, is a very high speed Schneider f0.95 25mm lens for 800€. There are many c-mount f1.4 cctv lenses starting at $10, but I guess they suck (?). The reason for the diversity of mounting options is that it optionally comes pre-equipped with a P+S IMS mount"

I’ve been eyeing this thing for over a year now. Got to see them up close and personal at NAB, and wasn’t dissappointed. There’s a lot of limitations to the camera when compared with RED or even HDSLRs, but there’s something about the simplicity of it that calls out to me. I like that you’re left with nothing to do but focus on the picture and the story – not the bells and whistles of your equipment.

I’m in the same boat as you, Vincent, would absolutely LOVE to get my hands on one to shoot with. Sadly, I don’t have a friend who has one. Yet.

I’m liking the fact that it uses a standard Sony battery that can be used for many other things. How feasible would it be for the digital cinema industry to settle on 1 or 2 universal memory options (say 1.8″ and 2.5″ SATA III SSDs) like DSLR and compact digital camera companies have with CF and SD? I’m not an expert on this, so is there any reason this couldn’t happen?

€7,000 That’s a steep price to pay for a camera that looks pretty limited in its current form. An F3 is €11,000, which is obviously more but for a long term investment makes more sense to save the extra pennies.

You would also have to wonder how viable in the long term these companies are what happens to product support if they go under.

vincent sir…. hello your INTRODUCTION TO HDDSLR was very helpful to me im looking forward to direct feature film myself in coming year, you are my first GURU in dslr film making introduction…thank you very much sir …please keep guiding people like me who really need guidance ……you are a true jewel of hddslr film making….

I shot some footage with it, my conclusions: 1. the sensor has a very characteristic look… which is a “vintage” look. If you like the vintage look then the camera is perfect for you 2. Ergonomics are OK, you will need a rig for handheld, 3. workflow is not complicated
4. You will definitely need a good colorist 5. Overall the camera needs to be mastered… since it reacts peculiarly in different lighting conditions, in order to do so you need to spend a few days with it.